Extract text from ALT files
To convert your ALT file to another format, you need Factorio or other Backup software.
To convert other file formats to the "Game Data Archive" file type, you need software like Factorio or a similar tool.
The .alt file extension is a generic label used by various software applications to denote an Alternative version, Backup, or temporary copy of a file. Because it is not tied to a single standard, users often face significant friction when trying to open these files; a double-click usually results in an "Unknown File Type" error. The most common modern origin is a game save file from Factorio, where the file acts as an alternate gameplay state. In legacy environments, it may be a compressed executable archive created by PKLITE (by PKWARE), or an image backup generated by Google Picasa (often containing JFIF or JPEG data). Another niche use is within the Stroy-calc house planner, where the file stores project data in plain JSON format.
Since the format varies wildly - from binary game states to plain text - the primary challenge is identification. Users seeking to "convert" these files are often looking to restore them to their original usable state. For Picasa or Canon camera backups, the target format is standard JPG or PNG for viewing. For Stroy-calc files, converting the internal JSON text to PDF allows for easier sharing of architectural plans. For Factorio saves, the file usually needs to be renamed or loaded directly into the game rather than converted, though extracting the data to ZIP is sometimes possible for modding purposes.
Convert.Guru analyzes your ALT file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
Users also converted DRS, GAX and AGN files.
If you want to convert ALT file to TMP, TEMP, CACHE, LOG, BAK, OLD, NEW, PART, DOWNLOAD, CRDOWNLOAD, LOCK or PID, you can use Factorio or similar software from the "Application Data Backup" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert DEVICE, CACHE, SOCK, SYMLINK, PID, MOUNT, FIFO, LOG, PIPE, TMP, JUNCTION or TEMP files to ALT, try Factorio or another comparable tool in the "Application Data Backup" category.
The history of Convert.Guru began over 25 years ago in California with Tom Simondi’s file-format database. A former contributor to Space Shuttle development and a software pioneer of the 1980s, Simondi established a trusted resource for file type analysis that was even referenced by Microsoft Windows XP. Today, we use modern technology to process and convert thousands of file formats while continually improving our ALT converter.